Manchester United turn heat on Man City as transfer deadline day falls flat

Manchester United drew level with Premier League leaders Manchester City last night as the champions beat Stoke 2-0 at Old Trafford and
Roberto Manciniâs men were rocked by a 1-0 defeat at Everton.

Joy: Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez (Picture: REUTERS)

On a night when expected big-name transfer activity turned into something of a damp squib at the end of deadline day , it was the title race which really stole the headlines.

Unitedâs win came courtesy of penalties from Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov , while a fierce strike from Red Devils old boy Darron Gibson saw City suffer only their third defeat of the season as Everton won at Goodison Park.

Hernandez stepped up to put United ahead from the penalty spot as they made light of missing 11 first-team regulars to see off Tony Pulis’ side.

The striker converted from the spot after Jermaine Pennant clattered into Park Ji-Sung seven minutes before half-time.United, who had league debutant Ben Amos in goal with Anders Lindegaard injured and David de Gea ill, had laboured until the penalty. After the break Dimitar Berbatov added a second spot-kick following Jon Waltersâ foul on Antonio Valencia, as United moved level on points with Manchester City.Before the game Sir Alex Ferguson hit out at pundit Alan Hansen for claiming United had been out of sorts for 18 months. He wrote in his programme notes: âThat comment goes alongside his claim you donât win anything with youngsters.â

The league leaders ended a month in which they crashed out of the FA and Carling Cups with a defeat that, coupled with Unitedâs win, means just goal difference is keeping them ahead of their rivals.Â Â

To add to Cityâs woes, rebel striker Carlos Tevezâs last chance of a January exit â to AC Milan â came to nothing, and he resumed his feud with the club by lodging a Premier League appeal against his six-week-wage fine for fleeing to his native Argentina in November, where he has remained since.

Third-placed Tottenhamâs slim title hopes were given fresh impetus as they despatched Wigan 3-1 at White Hart Lane.

And Andy Carroll , who has struggled to live up to his whopping Â£35million-switch from Newcastle on last yearâs deadline day, netted only his third league goal of the season â his first since October â to help Liverpool win 3-0 at Wolves.

It brought the Reds closer to fourth-placed Chelsea, who needed Jose Bosingwaâs late goal to salvage a 1-1 draw at Swansea.

It was QPR who flew the flag on theÂ transfer front though, boosting their strike force with a double swoop for Lazioâs former Liverpool forward Djibril Cisse and closing in on Â£4m Fulham hit-man Bobby Zamora, the Cottagers in turn signing Stuttgart striker Pavel Pogrebnyak.